Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) is a disease, which affects many people. Symptoms of the disease OSA manifest themselves in the form of fatigue, tiredness, poor concentration, mood changes and in some instances impotence has been reported. If left untreated or undiagnosed the disease can be very debilitating and even fatal. It is known that sufferer's of OSA are more likely to have motor vehicle accidents and are at greater risk of heart attack and stroke.
A characteristic of OSA is the substantial gasping for air during a waking period. This results from the presence of an occluded airway requiring a need to expend a substantial inspiratory effort to overcome occlusion and to initiate the waking phase. Occlusion or blockage of airways can be caused by muscle relaxation of the throat during sleep or a sufferer's tongue. Risk factors associated with OSA include weight gain, alcohol consumption, sleeping position and intake of sedatives. It has been postulated that excess weight in the neck reduces the ability of the pharyngeal muscles to maintain a lumen (opening) during sleep. In this case weight loss may be sufficient to address sleep problems associated with OSA.
A number of treatment regimens have been provided for OSA sufferers. For example people exhibiting an increased episodic severity may require positive pressure therapy (PPT) or wearing of an oral appliance. The most common form of PPT is referred to as ‘continuous positive airway pressure’ (CPAP). In general CPAP is administered through a nasal or face-mask strapped to a person's head. The face-mask is connected to an air compressor via a hose and the compressor sends air under pressure through the hose into the mask. The positive air pressure blows open the pharynx and prevents the airway from collapsing. Such a device however suffers from the disadvantage(s) that it is not aesthetically pleasing; is relatively expensive; is uncomfortable; can initiate nose bleeds and renders the nose and sinus cavity feeling dry.
Oral appliances have been used for the treatment of OSA including mandibular advancement devices, which involve pulling the mandible (lower jaw) forward relative to the maxilla (upper jaw). Mandibular advancement devices are generally less expensive than CPAP devices and therefore offer an economic alternative. The problem with such devices however is that the tongue may still interfere with the airway opening particularly when a sufferer moves the position of his/her head. In many instances rolling of the tongue may result in airway obstruction thus lowering the efficiency of an oral mandibular advance device. Hence further improvements in oral appliances are required to help reduce episodes of OSA.
It should be noted that any discussion of prior art does not constitute an admission of the state of the common general knowledge.
One object of the invention is therefore to provide an alternative oral cavity appliance that substantially addresses one or more of the problems of the prior art.